What were the 427 cars doing there??? Bathurst 24hr race is for production cars which anyone can purchase and drive on public roads.Can I do that with the 427 monaro? No. So WTF was it doing there AGAIN?!Good summary by (I think) Peter Fitzgerald in the 3rd placed Porsche: "Were the best placed entry with a car you can find on a showroom floor"Holden. I just want one. ....oh, but I cant get one :>< :>< :N( :N(
Believe it or not you wont find a car identical to that on a showroom floor either. If so it wouldnt have been running in A class against all the other A class cars. Maybe the first B class car was the one you meant.
I found it absurd to hear> the Monaro Team boss, waffling on about "What a marvelous product Holden provides in these cars", when we were just presented with a "Spec" sheet, saying that they cost $475000 each.All that aside, the last 10 laps was great racing from any point of view.Cheers Lloyd :-Z
Actually it the 3rd place Porsche was a Group B and has been racing as such previously, but the changed for Bathurst the exhaust systems, shocks.
Yes agreed, That was why it was not in B class. It probably would have won B class if they had left it in GTP specs. The Monaros also had non standard springs, shocks and exhausts. (Dont take this too seriously)
Not sure 24hr..(longish) .. was ever claimed to be for production cars.Why should it be and why are comments about "making great cars" any more out of place than at V8 Supercars.. if anything the Monaros, Ferrari etc are more production oriented than the V8 Supercars. Hell they all use the same trans & running gear components, Dunnydores even use Fords front susp layout!Bathurst 24-hour class eligibility Class A: For cars complying with the current technical regulations for; Australian Nations Cup - Group 1, FIA Series Grand Touring Cars (N-GT), British GTO, All Japan GT - Group 2, American Grand - Am (GT), Lamborghini Trophy. PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, in conjunction with the CAMS reserve the right to invite vehicles from other Categories whose Technical Regulations are based on FIA Series N-GT regulations and a copy of such rules must be submitted at the time of the entry. Class B: For cars complying with the current technical regulations for: Australian Nations Cup - Group 2 Class C: For cars complying with the current technical regulations for: FIA Super 2000. Class D: For cars complying with the current technical regulations for: Australian GT Performance Championship. Class E: For cars complying with the current technical regulations for: Australian Production Car Championship - Classes A, B, C. Class F: FIA Group N, FIA Super Production and New Zealand Schedule "S" (weight adjusted), and for cars invited by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd. A detailed technical description accompanied by photographic evidence of the car (front, side and rear views) and the relevant category technical regulations to which the car complies with must be submitted to PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd no later than 1st September 2003, for consideration. Additional information maybe requested before a final decision is made by the Promoter. a. Should the number of cars entered in one of the above classes be less than five (5) at the closing date of entries, the class concerned will be amalgamated with the next higher class, with the exception of Class F. b. The final classes will be published with the entry confirmation. Only in the circumstances described in clause a) above the competitor concerned has the right to withdraw the entry. In such case the entry fee will be refunded, less an AUD 200- administration fee, if the promoter receives the official withdrawal advice (in writing) prior to 1st November 2003. c. Amalgamations of classes are final and cannot be modified by changing cars into other classes. PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd in conjunction with CAMS reserves the right to accept any particular car in one of the above classes subject to the car being deemed suitable for that specific class.
Was thinking the same thing, Maciek. Apples racing against apples, and the oranges steal the show. Perhaps a 427 Astra will win next year?Egg
the 427 was fair enough last years when Holden had made public plans to release the 427 as a going concern. But this year the 427 should of been replaced with "standard" Monaro engines i.e. same size.But you got to give it to Holden (GR) that they did get two cars to the finish on the same lap, and I think the yellow car's driver if given the slightest slip was not going to listen to team orders. They were a little too "pushing" the cars for Ferrari-type team orders... Good to see.
or bring back the GTR into Supercar series They ruled out the Gibson motorsport R32 GTR's from competing in the 'taxi parade' (thanx Stealth) cause it was bad publicity for local car manufacturers. Especially when they still kept winning with over 150kg in weight penalty.Now the 24hr rules get changed! Any vehicle can enter... by invitation from the governing body itself (PROCAR)www.bathurst24hr.com/classes.aspPrior to this years race, a manufacturer has to have produced a minimun number of cars (i think it was 100 or so) before they could race. Even the Mosler can be bought if you have the $$$.So, what are the chances that I could be 'invited' to race a LeMans or an F1 car in the next Bathurst 24hr?...Perhaps only if its made by Holden!:| :| :| :|
It was about the only 10mins of the race.... ....that wasn't a torrential downpour.Ive got all my wet and muddy camping gear in the bathtub until I can be assed cleaning and drying it all. Apart from that it was a great three days again! :YD ...although you kinda knew the monaros had it nailed about an hour into the race.Lou (mud rat)
If you're a mud rat >>>> then Blipman must be a water fowl ...... .Monaro 427 debates - I've had enough of them! Threads and threads and threads debating the Monaro's eligibility can be found on the procar forums <A HREF=http://www.procar.com.au/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=32&CAT_ID=11&Forum_Title=Bathurst+24+Hour>HERE</A>, and at the end of the day, the answer is they are allowed. Full stop.The Monaro has been adopted as the "mongrel" in the series - and to prove a point, more mongrels have been, and are being built. The 5 litre BMW M3GT V8 that had less than 1 week's prep is one; there is an NSX with Brabham-Judd power being built, and one of the bigger rumours is that Jim Richards is putting together a hybrid Porsche Turbo for next year.On of the key reasons that both Monaro teams did so well has to be the drivers - how many laps worth of Bathurst experience did the Murphy/Brock/Kelly/Bright and Tander/Pretty/Richards/McConville teams have compared to others?To a very large extent, its up to other teams to lift their game - but perhaps the 427's will cop some restrictions or penalties for next year.Anyway, 'nuff said, gotta start working the budget to go again next year ... tentative dates are set - Nov 19/20/21 yeehah!
